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We took a look at both devices in this breakdown, pitting the Google Nest Audio versus Google Home. He has been covering consumer technology for over a decade and previously worked as Managing Editor at XDA-Developers. Joe loves all things technology and is also an avid DIYer at heart. He has written thousands of articles, hundreds of tutorials, and dozens of reviews. When you purchase through our links we may earn a commission.
With onboard Media EQ and Ambient IQ audio features, the Nest will adapt its sound to both the music you’re listening to and the environment the speaker is placed in. If you want to crank the treble or want even more bass, EQ options in the Google Home app allow you to make final adjustments to your Nest sound. The Hubs can do everything the dedicated speakers can do, but they can also show you results on the screen.
Why is Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) better than Google Home?
With Google Assistant, your Google Home can control your Philips Hue lightbulbs, Honeywell thermostat, Nest security camera, and smart TV (as long as it's compatible). Check out our roundup of things Google Assistant can do for more info, or head to the Google Assistant partners page for all the brands Google Home can work with. Routines in Google Assistant can only be triggered trough voice. Routines combine multiple actions in your home, but you will always need to say the words for them to happen. Homey Flows, however, can be triggered based on all kinds of situations. Think of events like sunset and sunrise, your alarm time, the fact that you arrive at home or a motion sensor that is triggered.
Google Home is less expensive, works with more smart home products, and can differentiate between voices in your household to give each person individualized answers and results. Apple HomePod is a more powerful speaker when it comes to audio quality and does a better job of keeping your information anonymized and therefore private. In the specs for the device, Apple proudly shows off the HomePod’s high-excursion woofer and set of seven horn-loaded tweeters, each with its own custom amplifier. In simpler terms, it’s powerful enough to make music sound good, without losing bass or sounding tinny.
Apple HomePod vs. Google Home: Design
The Nest Audio has a classic “tombstone” shape with four lights on the unit’s front face to indicate status and volume controls on the side of the speaker. Privacy is also available on the Nest Audio via a toggle switch on the rear of the device. You still have to use the Nest appto set up a Nest thermostat or camera. Nest speakers and smart displays, however, require you to use the Google Home app.
Google Home works with more compatible devices and accessories than HomeKit. The reason, in part, is Apple has stricter security requirements for devices that it allows into its ecosystem . All of the Google Nest and Home devices have the same Google Assistant inside, so there’s no reason to opt for one over the other in that aspect. It’s great at answering trivia-like questions, like, “Who won the World Series in 1976? ” Theoretically, the Assistant is supposed to be conversational and answer follow-up questions, but when we asked, “Who won the next year? If you can only afford the entry-level devices, and music remains a top priority for you, go for the Google Home Mini, which sounds a lot better than the Echo Dot.
Alexa vs Google Home
In addition, you can display your pictures, watch YouTube, stream movies and TV, control your smart home with touchscreen controls, and see who’s at your front door if you have a video doorbell. If you’re looking to get the most out of Google Assistant, you’ll probably want to go with a Hub. In addition to answering questions, the Assistant can also tell you the weather or your schedule, give traffic information, and control smart-home devices. Since its debut, Google Nest and Home products have become more useful in the last category, gaining the ability to control more than 1,000 smart-home devices. It obviously works with Nest, another Alphabet company, as well as Philips Hue smart lights, August smart locks, and so on.
However, you'll enjoy seamless integration with a large array of Google branded smart home systems. Google home integrates easily with smart gadgets like Chromecast, Nest Cam, and the Nest Doorbell. In terms of a sheer number of skills, Alexa posts great numbers.
The higher the high-frequency response, the clearer and crispier the treble. When it comes to actual functionality, there isn’t any difference in Google Home vs Mini. Both use the exact same Google Assistant to power their intelligence. So when it comes to doing your bidding, they’re equally matched.
And, of course, any smart home devices you already use should be factored into your decision. The Google Nest line of devices is capable of everything the Google Home was. As smart speakers, they respond to user questions and commands, and can play music and video, too. It is compatible with Apple's Siri voice assistant, allowing you to use voice commands to control the device from other Apple HomeKit-compatible devices. Out of the box, users can ask Google Home to play music, look up information and news online, play audiobooks, set alarms, manage tasks, control smart home devices, make to-do lists, and more.
Google showed off that ability at I/O though, so full TV control could be on the way. Most recently, Google released the Nest Hub Max, putting Google Assistant in a 10-inch smart display. It's the first product to come out under the converged brand name of Google and smart home security brand Nest.
Its bass is well tuned, its mids and highs well defined, and its top volume levels loud without verging into highly distorted territory. The new Google Nest Mini is set to sound even better too, withy the inclusion of an extra speaker. Alexa's Drop In feature only works with other Alexa-enabled devices. That's a tough question because they're both similar and we find it difficult to pick between the two.
For the time, the sound was acceptable, but the Google Nest Audio takes things to the next level. If you were to crack open your Nest Audio (please don’t), you would find a 2.95-inch woofer and a 0.75-inch tweeter. The arrangement of a larger woofer and a smaller tweeter allows for better audio reproduction, with the Nest Audio outputting better bass notes and more crisp highs. Of course, if you’re after the ultimate audio product from Google, you should also take a look at the Google Home Max. Google tries to make it sound like this is one big family of products, but, in practice, it’s not.
You can also play or pause music, change the volume, or activate Assistant. LED lights show up when the devices are listening or thinking. Alexa and Google Assistant are two of the leading voice assistants out there. Here's how the smart speakers that use them stack up against each other.
What Is Google Nest?
As a result, you can pick one up and give it a try with little risk. Plus, if you upgrade to a better speaker later, you can keep the Mini in the mix by moving it to a different room to extend your smart home functionality. You could do the same thing with Google Home, but the Mini is better suited for this use case. Assuming you want to spend as little as possible to give the Google smart home universe a try, the Google Home Mini is the clear winner here.
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